Apparatus for the irradiation or vacuum-coating of specimens



' S. BUSCH ETAL July 7, 1964 APPARATUS FOR THE IRRADIATION OR VACUUM-COATING OF SPECIMENS Filed March 19, 1962 5y Mam,

United States Patent 3,140,393 APPARATUS FOR THE IRRADIATION OR VACUUM-COATING 0F SPECIMENS Siegfried Biisch, Graz, Rudolf Hatschek, Vienna, and

Franz Pischinger, Graz, Austria, assignorsto Hans List,

Graz, Austria Filed Mar. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 180,513 Claims priority, application Austria Mar. 22, 1961 7 Claims. (Cl. 250-495) The invention relates to a device for the treatment of articles, in particular for the irradiation or vacuumcoating of specimens, comprising a treatment chamber, a supporting frame in said treatment chamber, a tilting platform pivoted on said supporting frame and carrying a specimen carrier for the article to be treated, said specimen carrier being rotatable around at least two axes by driving means to be actuated from outside and detachably fixed to the tilting platform.

Devices of this type serve for the treatment of articles under certain conditions of pressure, temperature and radiation, it being necessary for the treatment to continuously or intermittently alter the spatial position of the articles while maintaining the prevailing critical conditions. For example, similar devices can be used for the treatment of-articles with radiations, such as X-rays or ultraviolet rays for a variety of technical and scientific purposes. Other applications are the high-vacuum coating of articles for the purpose of preparing objects for electron microscopy, the production of refining and other coatings on metalloids and metals, of rheostats etc.

as well as deep-freeze drying.

this type whereby the operations required for servicing, in

particular the introduction and removalyof the articles 'Itis the object of the invention to provide a device of to be treated can be performed in a simple manner and within a short period of time.

According to the invention the supporting frame is open on one side at least in the area of the specimen carrier, the treatment chamber presenting an opening in the area of the open side of the supporting frame for the passages of the specimen carrier. With this design of the device the specimen carrier can be removed from the treatment chamber in a simple manner without dismantling the latter and again fixed on the tilting platform remaining in the treatment chamber following the attachment -of the article to be treated or after the exchange of the latter. For the performance of these operations the specimen carrier is tilted into a plane perpendicular to the axis of the opening of the treatment chamber, whereupon a tool serving .to remove and introduce the specimen carrier is attached to same. For that purpose, the specimen carrier can, for example, be provided with a T-shaped groove. In addition to a substantial shortening of the time required for the exchange .of the article to be treated, the invention also facilitates the attachment of the article to the specimen carrier. Another advantage finally resides in the fact that the opening provided in the treatment chamber can simultaneously be used as a peephole for the observation of the specimen during the treatment.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the supporting frame can be slideable on slide bars and the latter as well as a driving spindle serving for the dislocation of the supporting frame can be arranged in close vicinity to one another on the side of the supporting frame diametrically opposite the open side of the supporting frame. This arrangement ensures easy accessibility of the specimen carrier and/ or of the tilting platform carrying the same and a space-saving location of the members serving to guide and drive the supporting frame. Moreover, with this arrangement the tipping moment "Ice resulting from the displacement of the supporting frame is negligible so that a single driving spindle will sufiiee. According to the invention, the slide bars and the driving spindle can be shielded against irradiation or vacuumcoating by means of a cover plate, for example of sheet metal or synthetic material, provided between the former and the tilting platform. This radiation shield precludes the deposition of objectionable coatings on the members serving to displace the supporting frame, since similar coatings are not only liable to impair the movement of said members but also to shorten the life of the device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the supporting frame comprises two superjacent, prefer- .ably horseshoe-shaped ring segments arranged in spaced relation to one another, interconnected at their open extremities by a bracket at each end serving as a support for the tilting platform and its driving means, for example, driving spindles, grooved shafts and the like, an additional support being provided on the closed side of the supporting frame and traversed by the slide 'bars and the driving spindle. This is a simple design of the supporting frame capable of meeting requirements in spite of its being open on one side. This positively ensures in particular accurate guidance of the supporting frame even if the slide bars are closely arranged within a small area.

According to another feature of the invention the two approximately horseshoe-shaped ring segments on both sides of the bracket provided at the closed end of the supporting frame can be traversed by contact rails provided for the purpose of supplying current to auxiliary devices mounted on the supporting frame, such as for example, a heating appliance, a temperature feeler, equipment for measuring and indicating the various positions of the specimen carrier and the like. Thus the electric current can be supplied in a simple manner without impairing the accessibility of the supporting frame and without the need for cables dragged along by the supporting frame. In order to ensure positive insulation between the contact rails and to preclude the formation of creepage paths facilitated by irradiation or vacuum-coating, according to the invention the contact rails may be bare, the bores or the like of the supporting frame, traversed by the contact rails, alone being provided with one insulating bush each, the cover plate of the slide'bars and of the driving spindle extending preferably beyond the area of the contact rails.

Further details and features of the invention will appear in the following description of an embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 shows an axial section of the device according to the invention on line I-I of FIG. 2 and FIG. 2 is a section on line IIII of FIG. 1.

In the embodiment shown the treatment chamber 1 comprises a cylindrical cooling jacket 2 closed at both ends by two rings 3 and 4, respectively. For the supply and removal of the coolant, for example, liquid air, sockets 5 and 6 are provided. The treatment chamber 1 rests on a baseplate 7 carrying also the holding device comprising two columns 8 and 9 and two slide bars 10 and 11, jointly held at their upper extremity by means of a ring 12, said holding device carrying the supporting frame 13 which is slidable in a vertical direction. The supporting frame 13 is shifted by means of a driving spindle 14, the upper extremity of which is supported by the ring 12, said driving spindle traversing the base-plate 7 and being driven for example, by an electric motor (not shown).

The supporting frame 13 comprises two horseshoeshaped ring segments 15 and 16, superjacent in spaced relation to each other, and interconnected at their open extremities by a bracket 17 and 18 respectively and on the closed side by an additional bracket 19. Pivoted beu tween the brackets 17 and 18 is a tilting platform 20, to which the specimen carrier 21 is detachably fastened and rotatable around an axis extending in perpendicular relation to its plane. For the attachment of the specimen carrier 21 the same is provided with a slotted spring lug 22 inserted in a hollow shaft 23 pivoted in the tilting platform 20.

The specimen carrier 21 is rotated by means of a grooved shaft 24 driven by an electric motor (not shown), said shaft extending through the baseplate 7, traversing the bracket 18 and the ring segments 15 and 16 and pivoted at its upper end in the ring 12. The grooved shaft 24 is connected with another shaft 25 leading from the bracket 18 to the tilting platform 20 via a toothed-wheel gearing 26, said shaft 25 driving a worm gear carried by the hollow shaft 23 and consequently, the hollow shaft itself and the specimen carrier 21. The tilting platform 20 can be rotated around a horizontal axis by means of a grooved shaft 27 traversing the bracket 17. The bracket 19 provided on the closed side of the supporting frame 13 is traversed by the slide bars and 11 and the spindle 14, being in engagement with same via a thread 28-, so that the supporting frame 13 can be raised or lowered by rotating the spindle 14 depending on the direction of rotation.

By appropriately actuating the spindle 14 and the two grooved shafts 24 and 27 the specimen carrier 21 can thus be adjusted to any desired spatial position, so that an article (not shown) attached thereto can be irradiated or vacuum-coated by means of an irradiation or vacuumcoating means 29 from different sides as required. The angular position occupied by the tilting platform 20 can be read on a dial 30 positively connected with said tilting platform. However, it is also possible to maintain the specimen carrier 21 and the article fastened thereon in continuous motion during the treatment, by swiveling it, for example, around the axis of the tilting platform 20. Moreover, the drives can be program-controlled so as to make the specimen carrier follow a preset course.

As appears in particular from FIG. 2, the supporting frame is open on one side. Furthermore, the treatment chamber 1 presents an opening 31 in the area of the open side of the supporting frame 13, said opening being dimensioned in such a way that the specimen carrier can readily be passed through it. In this instance the opening 31 is defined by a socket 32 inserted in the cooling jacket 2. Thus the specimen carrier 21 can be removed from and reinserted into the treatment chamber 1 without dismantling the device.

For that purpose, the specimen carrier 21 is moved by appropriately actuating the spindle 14 and the grooved shaft 27 into a position where it lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the opening 31. It then can be pulled off the tilting platform 20 by means of a tool engaging a T-shaped groove 33 provided in the specimen carrier 21 for example, and removed through the opening 31. At the same time, the T-shaped groove 33 can serve for the attachment of the article to be treated to the specimen carrier 21. Likewise, the specimen carrier 21 is introduced in the treatment chamber 1 through the opening 31, the slotted lug 22 of said specimen carrier being inserted into the hollow shaft 23 provided in the tilting platform 20.

If an additional chamber, such as for example, a container for the production of a vacuum, is provided around the treatment chamber 1, this too, may present an opening in alignment with the opening 31 through which the specimen carrier 21 can be passed.

As appears from FIG. 2, the slide bars 10 and 11 as well as the spindle 14 are located diametrically opposite the open side of the supporting frame 13 in close vicinity to one another and shielded against irradiation or the deposition of a coating by means of a cover plate 34, made of sheet metal or synthetic material for example, and provided between them and the tilting platform 20.

4 The cover plate 34 1s attached to the base-plate 7 on the one hand and to the ring 12 on the other hand at a minor distance from the ring segments 15 and 16 and from the bracket 19 interconnecting same, so as not to obstruct the displacement of the supporting frame 13.

A heating device for the heating of the specimen carrier 21 can be provided in an annular groove 35 of the tilting platform 20. For supplying power to said heating device and for the supply of electric current to such additional auxiliary equipment as may be located on the supporting frame, such as for example, a temperature feeler, devices for measuring and indicating the various positions of the specimen carrier and the like, contact rails 36 are provided on both sides of the bracket 19 located on the closed side of the supporting frame 13, traversing the two ring segments 15 and 16 of the supporting frame 13 and insulatedly fastened to the base-plate 7 and to the ring 12.

The contact rails 36, of which only one is shown in FIG. 1, are preferably bare. For their insulation against the supporting frame 13 insulating bushes 37 are provided in the bores of the ring segments 15 and 16 traversed by the contact rails 36, said bushes sliding on the contact rails during the displacement of the supporting frame 13. In order to protect also the bare contact rails against irradiation or vacuum-coating, the cover plate 34 of the slide bars 10 and 11 and of the spindle 14 extends preferably beyond the area of the contact rails 36.

We claim:

1. A device for the treatment of articles, in particular for the irradiation or vacuum-coating of specimens, comprising a treatment chamber, a supporting frame in said treatment chamber, a tilting platform pivoted on said supporting frame and carrying a specimen carrier detachably fixed to said tilting platform and receiving the article to be treated, driving means by which the specimen carrier is rotatably around at least two axes for the purpose of adjusting and altering the spatial position of the article to be treated, the said supporting frame being open on one side at least in the area of the said specimen carrier, said treatment chamber having an opening therein located in the area of the open side of the supporting frame and serving for the passage of the specimen carrier, slide bars on which the said supporting frame is slidably mounted and a driving spindle for the displacement of the supporting frame, the slide bars and the driving spindle being arranged in close vicinity to one another on the side of the supporting frame diametrically opposite the open side of said supporting frame.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fixed cover plate is provided between the slide bars and the driving spindle on the one hand and the tilting platform on the other hand for the purpose of shielding the said slide bars and the said driving spindle against irradiation or vacuum-coating.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two approximately horseshoe-shaped ring segments and two brackets are provided, the said ring segments being superjacent in spaced relation to each other for the formation of the supporting frame, and interconnected at their open ends by one of the said brackets at each end, both brackets serving as a support for the tilting platform.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two approximately horseshoe-shaped ring segments and two brackets are provided, the said ring segments being superjacent in spaced relation to each other for the formation of the supporting frame, and interconnected at their open ends by one of the said brackets at each end, both brackets serving as a support for the tilting platform, and in which an additional bracket is provided on the closed side of the supporting frame between the said ring segments and traversed by the said slide bars and the said driving spindle.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two approximately horseshoe-shaped ring segments and two brackets are provided, the said ring segments being superjacent in spaced relation to each other for the formation of the supporting frame, and interconnected at their open ends by one of the said brackets at each end, both brackets serving as a support for the tilting platform, and in which auxiliary devices on the supporting frame and contact rails are provided for the purpose of sup plying electric current to the said auxiliary devices, said contact rails traversing the two approximately horseshoeshaped ring segments on both sides of the said bracket located on the closed side of the said supporting frame.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two approximately horseshoe-shaped ring segments and two brackets are provided, the said ring segments being superjacent in spaced relation to each other for the formation of the supporting frame, and interconnected at their open ends by one of the said brackets at each end, both brackets serving as a support for the tilting platform, and in which auxiliary devices on the supporting frame and contact rails are provided for the purpose of supplying electric current to the said auxiliary devices, said contact rails traversing the two approximately horseshoe-shaped ring segments on both sides of the said bracket located on the closed side of the said supporting frame, and insulating bushes, enclosing the said contact rails in such places where the contact rails traverse the said supporting frame and the contact rails are bare in the other places.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fixed cover plate is provided between the slide bars and the driving spindle on the one hand and the tilting platform on the other hand for the purpose of shielding the said slide bars and the said driving spindle against irradiation or vacuum-coating, and in which contact rails are provided to supply electric current, the said cover plate of the slide bars and of the driving spindle extends beyond the area of the said contact rails.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Dornfeld Feb. 28, 1950 

1. A DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF ARTICLES, IN PARTICULAR FOR THE IRRADIATION OR VACUUM-COATING OF SPECIMENS, COMPRISING A TREATMENT CHAMBER, A SUPPORTING FRAME IN SAID TREATMENT CHAMBER, A TILTING PLATFORM PIVOTED ON SAID SUPPORTING FRAME AND CARRYING A SPECIMEN CARRIER DETACHABLY FIXED TO SAID TILTING PLATFORM AND RECEIVING THE ARTICLE TO BE TREATED, DRIVING MEANS BY WHICH THE SPECIMEN CARRIER IS ROTATABLY AROUND AT LEAST TWO AXES FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADJUSTING AND ALTERING THE SPATIAL POSITION OF THE ARTICLE TO BE TREATED, THE SAID SUPPORTING FRAME BEING OPEN ON ONE SIDE AT LEAST IN THE AREA OF THE SAID SPECIMEN CARRIER, SAID TREATMENT CHAMBER HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN LOCATED IN THE AREA OF THE OPEN SIDE OF THE SUPPORTING FRAME AND SERVING FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE SPECIMEN CARRIER, SLIDE BARS ON WHICH THE SAID SUPPORTING 